so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

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axeman2729
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so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by axeman2729 »

I know duskies and redbacks and twolined sallies only go so far so what do you do?
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Hunter-MX
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Hunter-MX »

Live in the Tropics... :thumb:
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axeman2729
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by axeman2729 »

i wish i did
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Don Becker
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Don Becker »

I check out a local den site where brown snakes can be found out basking on sunny days. either that or I just hike around and take photos of what ever I see outside.
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dery
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by dery »

skate, swim in non-winterized pools if cold enough, hunt for fossils and go caving.EDIT: also The dieing Local occupy movement and ghosttowning- heres a ghosttown I visited years ago:
Image
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chris_mcmartin
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by chris_mcmartin »

What do I do? I nitpick people who start sentences (especially thread topics) with "So." :P

Kansas is unseasonably warm right now so I'm using the time to check all my survey sites for missing cover items and hopefully find something underneath the wood/tin. Two weeks ago there was a brown snake. Nothing today but I have one site left to check for tomorrow and it's supposed to be partly sunny and near 70.

When it gets too cold for proper herping around here, I'm going to be setting up a project to commence in January (details as they develop) and doing research for a potential book.

Oh, and trying to add my records to the database... :thumb:
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dery
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by dery »

chris_mcmartin wrote:What do I do? I nitpick people who start sentences (especially thread topics) with "So." :P

Kansas is unseasonably warm right now so I'm using the time to check all my survey sites for missing cover items and hopefully find something underneath the wood/tin. Two weeks ago there was a brown snake. Nothing today but I have one site left to check for tomorrow and it's supposed to be partly sunny and near 70.

When it gets too cold for proper herping around here, I'm going to be setting up a project to commence in January (details as they develop) and doing research for a potential book.

Oh, and trying to add my records to the database... :thumb:
Ha! do that too, but I make spare time for fun things like what I mentioned before. if I have spare time and it's warm enough I jump off a 30' tall bridge down the road from my house, swim in the local ponds, and fish. :roll: Everyone needs to have spare time Chris.
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Soopaman
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Soopaman »

It's a good time to look for new spots for the Spring, or set up spots. I've doubled the amount of flipping sites I have available to check since the beginning of November.

That said, we still don't have an end to the season, yet. It was 82°F today, and will be warm again tomorrow. I've been finding stuff under cover for a couple months now.
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dery
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by dery »

Kyle, TX&AL herping season is yearround if you don't have a desired species.Atleast IMO.
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Soopaman
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Soopaman »

dery wrote:Kyle, TX&AL herping season is yearround if you don't have a desired species.Atleast IMO.
I should probably clarify I'm only looking for snakes. If you extend that to amphibians, then yes, East Texas has herping all year. You can still find cottonmouths and copperheads pretty much all year as well, but I have no desire to see any of those.
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by chris_mcmartin »

dery wrote:Everyone needs to have spare time Chris.
Aah, the wisdom of youth. :lol: I have boyish good looks but plan on retiring in a little over two years. You will probably find yourself with less and less spare time the older you get, unless you blow off various responsibilities and commitments (or haven't the drive to take them on in the first place).

The herpin' stuff is interesting, so that's what I mostly do in my spare time. Plus, other people are depending on this work.

In my OTHER spare time this weekend, it's been yard work, taking care of my captives, making an end-of-year dropoff to Goodwill and the local library, hitting the gym, taking The Kid to exercise, and attending an after-hours work function.

I also enjoy fishing, shooting, flying radio-controlled aircraft, and making/playing music. I took the question to mean "what do you do herping-wise to avoid off-season withdrawal." ;)
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dery
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by dery »

Thanks Chris. I herp year round too but not the days im doing schoolwork then end up having only freetime near dark.It sortof odd herping a neighbor hood at night. I do nightherp when im camping in a park though. here is one of those finds:
Image acris cripitans
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MaartenSFS
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by MaartenSFS »

Martial arts.. ;)

Edit: I also work on other types of photography when weather permits.
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Owen
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Owen »

There is no off season here, hence no withdrawl. It's just a matter of driving 5 miles, or driving 25 miles.
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Coluber Constrictor »

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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by sstaedtler »

Usually, the Philadelphia Eagles get me through at least early to mid January but not this year. :( (Season has been over since mid October)

Right now I'm thinking of herping gifts for my Christmas list that relatives want from me, such as books to read for next year. - field guides, maps, etc.. And I start thinking about planning next year. For Dec and Jan especially I transfer to bird mode and start trying to get photos of winter birds to pass the time. It honestly does stink and it is depressing though and two-lineds and red backed salamanders only go so far. It's great it late Feb when the first Spotted Salamanders and Wood Frogs start coming out.
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azatrox
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by azatrox »

The "offseason" (if there ever really is such a thing here in Az) is spent scouting new areas for possible return in the spring. Scouting is done either via GE or with good old fashioned boots to the caliche.

-Kris
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Mark Brown
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Mark Brown »

When I was unfortunate enough to live in places where there was a herping "off season" I would read Kauffeld's two books every winter, along with other herp reading. I've read "Snakes and Snake Hunting" so many times that I can quote passages verbatim.

But as Chris alluded, the older you get, the more things show up on their own, demanding to be taken care of, so I use the colder month or two to attend to house projects and that kind of nonsense. Stuff you don't want to waste time on when it's really nice outdoors.
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chrish
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by chrish »

Go places where herps are active.

Last December we went to Ecuador. Unforuntately this year I have to go to New Zealand - hardly a herping mecca.
But that's why they invented birdwatching. It really is herping anyway.
Mark Brown wrote:But as Chris alluded, the older you get, the more things show up on their own, demanding to be taken care of, so I use the colder month or two to attend to house projects and that kind of nonsense. Stuff you don't want to waste time on when it's really nice outdoors.
Yeah, that's what sucks. When you have the resources to be able to go herping, you don't have the time. When you are young you have the time, but not the resources.
Life ain't fair.....but it beats the alternative!
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dery
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by dery »

Doesn't NZ have tuataras??
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axeman2729
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by axeman2729 »

Yes that is one of the only places you can find them Dery.
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Nigel Smith
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Nigel Smith »

Soopaman wrote:It's a good time to look for new spots for the Spring, or set up spots. I've doubled the amount of flipping sites I have available to check since the beginning of November.

That said, we still don't have an end to the season, yet. It was 82°F today, and will be warm again tomorrow. I've been finding stuff under cover for a couple months now.
Exactly. You can see the terrain a lot better this time of year(as long as there is no snow).
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Chris Smith
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Chris Smith »

I try to take a trip south during the winter... But ice fishin' keeps me busy too.

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I can even fish in a T-shirt some days!!
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I am always ready for spring though!!
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-Chris
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dery
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by dery »

Nice Chris!!! Here in the south ice fishing is more slush fishing. :lol:
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axeman2729
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by axeman2729 »

hahaha^
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Tim Borski
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Tim Borski »

Prep work for next season is a YEAR ROUND JOB...how the hell can you NOT be busy?!

Failing that, I say go ice fishing with Chris. :thumb:
Tim
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axeman2729
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by axeman2729 »

Tim Borski wrote:Prep work for next season is a YEAR ROUND JOB...how the hell can you NOT be busy?!
Because I dont have to prep much cause I only have a small range of where I can herp and its getting even smaller cause of development.
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Tim Borski »

Because I dont have to prep much cause I only have a small range of where I can herp and its getting even smaller cause of development.

Sorry, I didn't even consider that. My bad. :oops:

Tim
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Reptiluvr »

I go birding.
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axeman2729
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by axeman2729 »

Its cool man.
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Ruxs »

Hunter-MX wrote:Live in the Tropics... :thumb:
Hiiiiiigh fiiiiiive!
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Nir
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by Nir »

Well, besides eat, sleep and extend my knowledge of locally brewed beverages...

Theres this:
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and this:
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I also take care of my indoor herps... There is already snow here as I type this.
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by FunkyRes »

When I'm suffering herping withdrawal, I go out and *** this message has been censored for content not suitable for a general audience ***
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axeman2729
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by axeman2729 »

Oh my^
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muskiemagnet
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Re: so what do you do to help keep from herping withdrawl?

Post by muskiemagnet »

i agree with the google earth thing. scout from the air for the next season. personally, i like bing better, but it really doesn't matter too much. compare to topographic, and you can find plenty of promising spots for the following year.

also, anything that catches your eye, follow up on. i saw some photos at a nature center recently, and the pics looked "snakey". i contacted the photographer, and guess what? i now have one bluff-filed property to explore(300+ acres), as well as a connection to a local land conservancy that has folks wanting reptile surveys done on their properties as well. life could not be better. too bad i have to get through the winter.

oh, and i second chris on ice fishing. although i'm not a pansey who needs a heater. :D :D :D

-ben
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